Published on Jun 27, 1998
For anyone who thinks that the heavy metal scene is dead, all
they need to do is check the club scenes, where hundreds of bands
slug it out each night, trying to make a name for themselves.
Joliet, Illinois-based Ton Of Bricks is such a band, though if
their recent demo release is any indication of their potential,
they should be getting a chance at the spotlight sometime soon.
This four-piece (who I first read about in one of the metal
newsgroups) successfully took on harder, harmonic rock and
aggressive metal and were able to do very well with each genre.
Made up of vocalist/guitarist Dave Adams, drummer Ron Bailey,
bassist Gregg Bambule and guitarist Dan Karabaic, Ton Of Bricks
first goes after the listener’s spinal cord with numbers like
“Pummeled” and “Pain Inside”. While there are the traditional signs
of a young band still jelling as a cohesive unit (there are times
on “Pummeled” where it sounds like the band slows down the pace a
notch or two accidentally), the maturity of the songwriting and the
instrumental work is admirable. (If the band has anything they need
to work on, though, it’s harmony vocals; it was rather annoying to
hear the band singing the exact same notes that Adams did. You can
harmonize and be aggressive.)
And there are some moments where the music might seem like
formula metal from the ’80s, but the strength of the musical
performance on numbers like “Dancin’ With The Devil” balance any
weaknesses that might be present. Plus, other songs like
“Conformity” and “Inside Out” erase any negative thoughts one might
have of this band.
There’s even a socially relevant track here on
Ton Of Bricks. “Homeless” could be the strongest track on
this disc, both in performance and lyric.
There are two unlisted tracks on this CD. The first, a live
version of “Inside Out,” blows away the studio version, proving
that Ton Of Bricks must be an incredible band to see live. The
second track consists of nothing more than 45 seconds of the band
saying “Suck it,” followed by 45 seconds of the band saying “Suck
it” played backwards. It’s kind of funny, but not the track you
want to blare forth unexpectedly when trying to woo over a new
girlfriend with your shiny stereo.
Ton Of Bricks obviously still have some maturing to do as a
band, but that’s just a fact of life for such a young band, and not
a criticism of them. Likewise, they still have their dues to pay on
the circuit. However, one well-placed CD of this band in the right
hands could be the break they need – and I think that
Ton Of Bricks could act as a key to unlock doors for the
band. This could be the metal band to watch for at the approach of
the millenium.
For more information about Ton Of Bricks, visit their